


Words

by life_of_r3n



Category: No Fandom
Genre: Poetry, poem
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:35:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26915248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/life_of_r3n/pseuds/life_of_r3n
Kudos: 3
Collections: Original Poems





	Words

we’re born screaming and we know then  
the things we’ll try to know for our whole lives—  
but we know them then

when I was born I didn’t cry  
I grew up and got tangled  
in words.

somewhere near the back of my neck I feel  
what that look in your eyes says when I find it  
I almost remember

we know about fire before we meet it  
we smell fear before we learn what it means  
we breathe smoke.

to be human is a wordless thing  
an angry thing with cutting teeth  
a desperate thing

to be human is a tender thing  
it’s something about the touch of a hand  
it’s silent

years pile on and I’m lost in the meaning of things.  
I reach forward to touch you and find only  
letters on pages

to grow up is a stampede of losses  
an exercise in forgetting to drown  
an opening of the eyes

it’s terrible to wake up not screaming  
sweat clinging to brow from long sleep and silence  
the unheard sound of beating heart—

to grow up is white knuckles and grasping  
it takes courage to let yourself drown


End file.
